Persistence Is Worth It

I still have Olympic “fever” as I think about the undaunted persistence of those athletes. They didn’t get to the Olympics because they felt like it. They made it to the Olympics by hours and months and years of training, rehearsing, taping up sore body parts, giving up many simple pleasures of time, food, and companionship.

The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people don’t feel like doing. They develop habits. They stay committed.
So, confession time for me. It’s another day of coming out from under my “mighty woman of God” rock to boast about some of my weaknesses. I’m following St. Paul’s lead with his powerful words of advice. He said: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ I will rather BOAST most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Here goes. To tell the truth – sometimes, I don’t want to answer my phone, so I let the call go to my voice mail. And, sometimes, I don’t feel like doing the unselfish thing. I want to just sit in my cozy chair and take a power nap or watch TV. Sometimes I don’t want to do one more thing in a day. Sometimes I don’t want to respond to someone asking for advice. BUT just because I don’t feel like it, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do it.

This might really shock you. Sometimes I don’t feel like praying or reading my Bible or devotional. But I do it. I’ve found that if the only time I pray or read my Bible is when I feel like it, then Satan has a heyday making sure I never feel like it. I’ve been in this “mature” relationship with God long enough that I know I must live my life by my commitments, not by my feelings.

Like the Olympic’s athletes and their persistence to be their best, we don’t become godly men or women by simply doing what we feel like doing. Godly men and women choose to develop the habits that produce godliness in their lives.

Probably the greatest example in the Bible of persistence is Moses. For 40 years, he led whining and grumbling people around the desert while they questioned his leadership the entire time. Yet he never gave up. Hebrews 11:27 says, “It was faith that made Moses leave Egypt without being afraid of the king’s anger. As though he saw the invisible God, he refused to turn back.” Moses saw the invisible God. He kept his eyes on God.

Taking Moses’ attitude and persistence, rather than retreating – we, too, carry on and keep our eyes on God, too! We continue our persistence to win the battle by being God’s devoted, persistent followers and by doing the uncomfortable. Hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant,” will make it worth it all.